1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to image processing, e.g., in a computer vision field, and more particularly, to a method, medium, and system implementing a 3-dimensional (3D) model generation from a 2-dimensional (2D) photographic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In relation to 3D modeling, researchers have typically focused in the computer graphics or computer vision fields. For example, in the computer graphics field, research has been performed with the aim of developing a precision computer aided design (CAD) system for modeling geometric information and material information of an object in a 3D space. However, here, the conventional techniques have problems in generating photographic images because geometric information in the real world is very complicated and it is difficult to accurately model illumination effects.
In the computer vision field, for example, research has been performed in which 3D geometric information is calculated from a 2D image, and by using an actual image, with texture information of an object under real world illumination conditions being calculated. As an example, such conventional techniques of calculating 3D geometric information from a 2D image include “Single view metrology” (Criminisi, 1999), “Image-based modeling and photo editing” (Byong Mok Oh, 2001), and “Using Geometric Constraints Through Parallelepipeds for Calibration and 3D Modelling” (Wilczkowiak, 2005). However, these techniques present a further problem in that calculations for obtaining 3D geometric information are very complicated.
An “automatic photo pop-up” technique has been proposed by Derek Hoeim in 2002 and requires very simple calculations compared to the above techniques. The Hoeim technique is based on a pop-up book for children in which if the book is opened, a picture pops up. That is, according to the technique, a 2D photographic image is divided into a ground area, a vertical area, and a sky area, and boundaries between the ground area and the vertical area in the image are estimated. Then, with the estimated boundaries as references, objects forming the 2D photographic image are cut and folded, thereby generating a 3D model. However, this technique also has a problem in that if the boundaries between the ground and vertical objects are not correctly set, an accurate 3D model cannot be obtained. For example, if the object is a building, a car may exist between the building and the ground, and due to the existence of the car between the building and ground, the boundary between the ground area and the vertical area may be set incorrectly.